Thoughts from the Christian perspective: discernment issues as they relate to the current state of the church and society.

We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer

Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Worship Songs?

Today’s parallel to Victorianism would include praise music that mirrors the vapid emotionalism and egocentrism of pop culture. I once visited a church where I was startled to hear the congregation sing lines like “You are my all desire,” and “I want to feel the warmth of your embrace.” Thy lyrics made no mention of God or Jesus. No reference to salvation or justification or any other theological theme. Nothing to suggest that the song was anything but a love song to someone’s girlfriend. The lyrics were such an extreme example of the Jesus-is-my-girlfriend genre that I wondered how any man could sing it with a straight face - though as I looked around the room, I saw several men with their eyes closed, arms raised.

6 comments:

I do not even like those types of songs and I'm a woman. My husband and I joke about it if a church we're attending sings one of those. Such songs do not engage the mind at all and I instantly tune out if one of those is being sung.

The women at our church had a retreat two weeks ago where they studied a book titled Completely His. It has been said that some groups will even do a little "ceremony" after this study and do something similar to "vows" and even light a candle like a wedding unity candle. Talk about making Jesus into our own boyfriend or husband! The church is His bride, not us individually. Well, I had no desire to go on this particular retreat.

Well, the women came back from the retreat, and guess which song they all got up front to sing!?

You are my desire...no one else will do...cause no one else can take your place...to feel the warmth of your embrace...bring me back to you...you're all I want...you're all I've ever needed...etc. blehhhh